The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-10-26
FRED DOUGLASS TO VOTERS.
A Ringing Republican Appeal to COL
Ored Men-What the Party Has
Done and Must DO.
From the New York Tribune. ]

Frederick Douglass has been asked by
the Republican State Committee to speak
for the Republican cause and candidates
in New York State during this campaign,
His uncertain health compels him TO de-
cline, but in the following letter he makes
the duty OF oil good citizens, and particu-
larly the colored voters, very clear:
Hon. G. n. Bliss:
DEAR sIR-I very deeply regret that, owing
To the present unsteady condition of my health,
/ am compelled 10 decline your urgent call To
take the platform during the present campaign
in support of the kopuDIican cause in the state
OF New York. Were IL otherwise, there 10 no
duty to which would more readily respond.
/ asn sometimes reproached with being too
much welded To tho Republican party. / am
not ashamed OF that reprOach. In my own be-
half and in bohalf of the colored people gener-
ally. confess myself largely in debt TO that
party, and especially To that part Of it for which
you now ask my earnest and active support.
IL was tho Republican party OF the tate OF
New York which, first of all the Northern
States had the courage and the consistency To
put the name OF n colored man In prominent
place its electoral ticket, and it was the
Electoral College OF that state that honored mo
by sending in my custody its electoral vote for
Ulysses S. Grant to the President OF the Senate
OF the United States ut Washington. l shall
have to forget this noble example OF defiance TO
popular prejudice, and many other good things
done by that party, anu the other hand
must cease TO remember many bad things done
by tho Democratic party, before can with
oppose the latter.
Though cannot ut present safely promise to
take the stump. / would gladly DO can
and will earnestly advise every colored citizen
of the state OF New York . MS no values the
rights and privileges already secured and those
he has yet to realize, TO support by his voice
and vote and with all his might the New York
State Republican ticket, and the whole Repub-
lcan ticket without the erasure OF single
name. 1 do this and shall do this because
recognize tho tremendous consequences for
New York State election. In my judgment no
political Jolly could be greater or more to Ice
dep ored than pursuing course tending To en-
danger the success Of the Republican party, in
its grand preliminary night for ascendency in
New York and ultimately in tho nation. He IS
fool who spends his strength in brushing
away notes whom n heavy beam is suspended
over him and may crush his head. When u
man is strong enough to stand squarely upon
Republican platform, and has been fairly nom-
mated by the Republican party, require come.
thing more than doubtful rumors OF
what he may have been weak enough
to say dozen years prior 70 his nomi-
nation to move me from his support There is
no question that, whatever may have been the
faults and shortcomings OF the Republican PAR
by, II has BEEN trst and last, tho party OF JUS
tice, liberty. and progress. 1t Is also plain
that, in whatever the Democratic party has yet
done in the same direction it has derived its
inspiration from the example set by tho Rspub-
lean party. 1t, in fact. has worn. when 1t has
worn anything tderably decent, the old shoes
and secondhand clothing OF the Republican
cratic party follow the Republican, even in the
ragged and WORKOUT garments with which IL
now and then covers itself But that party is
altogether too slow OF foot, too heavily burden
cd with its ugly record and the Solid South. 70
be safely trusted to lead in the cause OF liberty,
enlightenment, and progress IL is bad enough
to have that party hanging on 10 the skirts of
the Republican party, doing its best to hinde
il and dragged forward by it, bat it is far moro
mischievous TO thrust 1t in front where IL can
block the way OF the Republican party.
LEI "A IN q and regret that
once in q while we lind Il colored man in a
Northern State using his pen and tongue III de-
nunciaton OF the Republican party and in
laudation OF the Democratic party. No honest
| Democrat to-day can respect either the head or
the heart OF the black citizen who pretends to
| be n Democrat and uraes othor black mon TO
support the Democratic ticket Pointing 10
such n man he generally says: Why, that
| negro is not Democrat He is only the miser-
| able tool OF Democrats, using his persuasive
| powers to ontice votes from the Republican
| party" A Democrat thinks not much better OF
| those colored mon who call themselves indie
pendents.- He knows as well as we know that
| their independence is a fanciful delusion; that
while they profess independence OF the Re-
publican party, they are actually dependent
ing hungry eyes thitherward in the hope
| of getting something they have sought
and have not found in the Republican party
| These men may deceive themselves. but the y
cannot deceive those from whom they secede
| and whom they denounce nor those to whom
they go with honeyed words of commentator
| They make the mistake or nndlng Dad motives
| for all the good ever done by the Republic an
party and try 10 excuse all tbs bad things done
| by the Democratic party. The intelligent Dem
/ ocrat may accept this service, but he is no,
| blind to the character OF which it is born The
colored men who say they have nothing Il
thank the Republican party for and brazenly
| proclaim their ingrattude, inform the Demo
cratic party in advance that IL will get nC
thanks from them Tor anything IL may do.
| have strong desire to make now friends, but
| / must not be asked to make them by railing nc
| cusat ons against oil ones.
II could 60 upon tho stump, as you have
honored me by asking me to do. would endeav
| or TO impress upon the colored citizens Of the
state Of New York the great and paramount i'm
| portance of a Republican victory in that stat,
this fall. would endeayor To show them tina
| such victory would tend TO tho promotion o.
their cause. For disguise it we may, til,
welfare Of the colored people, North and South
has not yet passed beyond the line Of danger
| While tho negro can be dragged from railroad
| cars in the South, for no fault but the color O
| his skin; while he be sold into slavery OF
| the mere protense of crime; while he can b'
doomed to work in chain-gangs while others are
only put in prison for otfensos against the law
while he il presumed when accused to be guilty
until he can prove his innocence; while he il
| subjected to lynch law and the halter withou
| pretense Of Judge, jury, advocate or legal &c
! cusers while he IL compelled to work for nom
inal wages and defrauded by store orders
while he is deprived of equal means
| afforded to all other classes and colori
, for the education Of his children. anC
while Republican Senate passes bill TO
|
of Representatives votes down that measure o
enlightenment and statesmanship; while h,
may DO driven from the ballot-box and his vot,
goes uncounted-it may be safely said that tn,
negro has II cause, and great cause, which
will be favorably affected by n Republican vic
tory in New YORK. and the nation, and disas
trously affected by Democratic victory.
No colored man who is true 70 himself anC
to his cause will allow himself 10 be diverted
from IL by any merely side political issues
However worthy may be the ends sought b,
labor parties, prohibition parties or othe
parties, the first duty Of every colored man i
TO support with all his might the party whicl
thus far has done most and is doing most Z
csusc his rights. liberty and manhood TO b.
respected. Tho colored man who does not Sc
this TO DO his duty, and allows himself to b.
used the tool Of the Democratic party, show
himself 20 be utterly blind to the highest wei
fare Of his people or willingly and wittingl
sacrificing the interest Of the whole to the per
sonRl interest of a few. FREDK. DOUGLASS.
GDAVEDsS DDEDAREn GDEECHEC